Jo Pithon and Joseph Paillé at Fresnaye, October 2008

After a chance meeting during the harvest in Sancerre, Jo and Isabelle Pithon invited us to their home and winery, where Elizabeth and I had the pleasure of getting to know the Pithon family and their wines. It's hard not to appreciate the history of Domaine Jo Pithon, as well as the reputation that he's made for the quality of his wines in a relatively short period of time.

Jo started his domaine in 1978 with just 3.5 ha and grew the holdings to 27 ha by 2007. Jo has received numerous accolades for his sweet wines, including Sweet Winemaker of the Year 1994 by Le Revue du Vins, but at their new winery at Fresnaye, he told me that he is ultimately aiming to produce the "classic" dry wine for the Anjou Blanc appellation. He noted that after the wars, much of the Anjou vignoble had turned to "mass-produced and commercial styles," and added that Anjou has the potential to produce "serious" white wines from the Chenin variety with greater intensity of fruit and a more impressive structure. As Jo says, "In the Pithon style, I am the best."

Botrytised Chenin Blanc at Les Treilles

Constantly seeking to improve his holdings and improve his wines, Jo has, over the years, traded out and sold some of his plots in exchange for terroirs that are better suited to his mission. Jo produces Coteaux-du-Layon, Savennières, and Anjou Rouge and Blanc. Jo is particularly proud of his work at Les Treilles, a 6 ha vineyard located in the village of Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné which had been abandoned after the war and became overgrown with woods and brush. The Pithon family cleared the lieu-dit of Les Treilles (the name referring to a type of trellising system once common in the area) and replanted this superb south-facing parcel in 2000. Even for very young vines, Les Treilles produces wines of balanced ripeness and intense mineral character, and I share Jo's view that this is one of the standouts in his portfolio of wines.

It was a particularly special time to have spent with the Pithons, as 2008 marks a new era for the wines of their family. Isabelle's son, Joseph, has added his surname to that of Jo's and they have expanded the négociant aspect of the business to include a broader range of wines, including a small amount of Bourgueil and Chinon. Jo and Joseph are vinifying and aging their wines in the cellars of a 16th century castle of an absentee owner and family friend called Château Fresnaye near Saint-Aubin de Luigné. And Joseph's fiancée, Wendy, has just arrived from South Africa to help with the family business.

Château Fresnaye in the early morning fog of the Layon

We have enjoyed several memorable evenings here at Fresnaye, including a fairly competitive match of Palette with Jospeh's younger brother Jules (also attending school for viticulture) and even enjoyed the wines of Jo's younger brother Olivier Pithon who is making some very elegant and delicious wines in the Languedoc. The Pithon's are generous and honest and the Pithon-Paillé is sure to continue to raise the bar for the appellation as Jo seems hell-bent on defining the benchmark style for Anjou. Elizabeth and I hope to see the Pithons again soon and plan to follow their progress closely.